-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM: Even as the dairy farmers strongly demanded that Goa dairy should increase their prices of milk the annual meeting of the Bicholim dairy farmers remained inconclusive with the authorities failing to give any such assurance to the farmers.
It may be stated that today an annual meeting of the dairy farmers was held at the government primary school building at Bicholim. About 50 farmers were present for the meeting. Some of the farmers raised concern over the fact that most of the farmers have stopped supply of milk to Goa Dairy and have diverted to another private dairy originally from Gujarat.The farmers demanded that Goa Dairy should look into this fact and raise the price given to farmers. The Managing Director of Goa Dairy, Dr Sawant was also present for the meeting. As per the sources the private dairy has started two outlets in Bicholim which has severely affected the supply of milk to Goa Dairy in Bicholim. "Goa Dairy is giving us very less price for the milk while the other dairy are giving us almost double the price as compared to Goa dairy so many of them have stopped giving milk to Goa Dairy" Rohidas Gad stated. Some of the farmers supply milk to both the dairies and what has angered the farmers is the fact that Goa Dairy has also stopped fodder given to them on concessional rate. "On one side Goa Dairy is giving us low rate at the same time they have now stopped the fodder supplied to the farmers stating that we are supplying our milk to another dairy. If we are getting better rate at some other place why shouldn't we take the benefit?" questioned a farmer. When contacted the Goa Dairy MD, Dr Sawant claimed that there is no effect of some other dairy on them. "Today it was a very good meeting and several of the farmers raised their demands with us. I would put forth their grievances before the board of directors and we would take the right decision" Dr Sawant told. "There is no effect of entry of some other dairy in Goa. We are in profit and last year we had collected 68000 litre per day while this year we are collecting 79000 litres of milk every day" Dr Sawant told "I request all those who have gone to some other dairy to come back to Goa dairy and we welcome them."